Chad McQueen, known for acting in the first two “Karate Kid” films as Cobra Kai “Dutch” and as a professional race car driver, has died, according to a statement shared on social media by his family. He was 63 years old.
“It is with a heavy heart that we announce the passing of our father Chad McQueen,” his wife Jeanie and children Chase and Madison wrote in an Instagram post. “His remarkable journey as a loving father to us, along with his unwavering commitment to our mother, truly exemplified a life filled with love and dedication.”
“His passion for racing not only highlighted his exceptional talent, but also served as a way to honor his father’s legacy, a testament to the values instilled in him,” the statement continued, pointing out the connection between Chad and Steve McQueen. “He passed his passion, knowledge and dedication down to us and we will continue not only his legacy but our grandfather’s as well.”
“As a family, we need to navigate this difficult time and we kindly ask for privacy as we remember and celebrate his extraordinary life,” their statement concluded, before being signed, “With heartfelt gratitude.”
McQueen followed in the footsteps of his father, race car driver and “The Magnificent Seven” star Steve McQueen.
Though the younger McQueen appeared in other films outside of the “Karate Kid” franchise, like “New York Cop” (1993) and “Red Line” (1995), auto-racing was his primary passion.
The actor started racing on the set of his father’s film “Le Mans” at 10 years old. Two years later, McQueen won his class at the World Mini Grand Prix. He competed professionally in events like the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the 12 Hours of Sebring.
McQueen suffered a near-fatal crash while practicing for the Daytona International Speedway’s Rolex 24 event in 2006. The crash effectively ended his professional racing career, but he did not give up the sport altogether.
In 2010, he founded his own McQueen Racing, now run by his two children, with the mission of developing high-performance cars and motorcycles. With the company he also produced two documentaries about his father’s life, “Steve McQueen: The Man & Le Mans” and “I Am Steve McQueen.”
He is survived by his wife Jeanie and his three children Chase, Madison and Steven, a third-generation actor best known for his role in “The Vampire Diaries.”
